Jakarta – Papua Dialogue is a Dignified Way to Solve Conflict in Papua

Jayapura, Jubi – Papuans want dialogue between with Jakarta and this has been constantly echoed in recent years, but there has been no response from Jakarta.

The Executive Secretary of the People’s Network , Septer Manufandu, head of representative office Komnas HAM Papua, Frits Ramandey, coordinator of the Papua Peace Network (JDP) Neles Tebay and Coordinator of the Secretariat of Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (SKPKC) Papua Yuliana Languwuyo also discussed the issue during a meeting with the ambassador of the United States to Indonesia, Robert Blake.

“He (US ambassador) also mentioned dialogue, and then we said that dialogue is a dignified way to negotiate the problems in Papua,” Manufandu said.

“Everything must be placed in a dignified manner to look for a solution together and make a political commitment to live together in the future, ” he
told reporters on last week.

Then US ambassador responded that dialogue is a good way, but there must be equation perception or view of the concept of dialogue both from government and public.

Earlier, coordinator of the Papua Peace Network (JDP) Neles Tebay said, there should be an internal dialogue in Papua first before dialogue between Jakarta and Papua is held.
According to him, internal dialogue is important for it is such a need, a longing for Papuans.
He also found that among the Papuans themselves, there is no common understanding of the Jakarta-Papua dialogue especially about the purpose and agenda.

There is a party that thinks that the Jakarta-Papua dialogue will be endangering the territorial integrity of Indonesia. There is also a view that the Jakarta-Papua dialogue is dangerous because it can destroy the ideology of Papuan independence.

While some people understand that the Jakarta-Papua dialogue is a solution to the conflict in Papua. Jakarta-Papua dialogue is not the goal but it is a means to identify problems and look for the best solution by involving all parties.

“Internal dialogue will be attended by all Papuans to discuss the concept and goal of Papua – Jakarta dialogue,” Neles Tebay said. (Roy Ratumakin/Tina)

This call is related to the 75th World Human Rights Day on 10 December 2018 that concern over violations and crimes against humanity and the environment.

A human right defender Yohanis Mambrasar said he received a report said that many civilians in Nduga Regency forced to take refuge and leave their villages. There is no guarantee of security and food for them.

“They are worried and suppressed by the security forces that involved in the evacuation of shooting victims. We also heard that a church activist was shot and died in Nduga,” said Mambrasar.

Meanwhile, the Rev Matheus Adadikam, the Director of ELSHAM (Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy) Papua, in a press release to Jubi said President Joko Widodo had given less priority to human rights enforcement in Indonesia, particularly in Papua, even though he promised to solve a number of past human right violations in Papua including the incidents in Abepura, Wamena and Wasior.

The development pattern and security approach in handling many problems in Papua considered ineffective, because people have traumatized since 1 May 1969. Therefore, the government and politic elites must be wise in responding the shooting incident in Nduga Regency. People had traumatised by Mampenduma Military Operation of 1986.

“We asked the Military and Police to prioritise professionalism and uphold the applied laws and human values according to the UN Human Rights Convention.

We also asked the armed group to be fully responsible for this incident. Do not involve the civilians because it would take more casualties.

Environmental crimes

Pressure on the environment as a source of life for indigenous Papuans also occurs in several regions through land clearing and deforestation for plantation, mining and logging activities on a large scale which involving the capital owners, transnational companies and state officials.

“Our sacred and sago forests in Muting and Bupul, Merauke Regency, have been evicted and demolished by those private companies without consultation and agreement. They did it quickly and gave improper compensation for the lands and our loss,” said Bonefacius Basikbasik Kamijae, the Chief of Kamijae clan.

Both central and regional governments have ignored and failed to protect the rights of the community started from the issuing of business permit and license for land and forest use. Furthermore, the government also considered for not being consistent regarding policy and regulation on the protection of forests and peatlands.

Aish Rumbekwan from WALHI Papua described that land conversion and large-scale deforestation from oil palm plantations, commercial plantations, mining and logging activities have triggered the climate change and raised the greenhouse emissions.

Therefore, the government should take immediate actions to reduce the earth temperature to below 1.5 degrees to ensure the safety of the people and their living space.

“We asked both regional and central governments to immediately implement a program to evaluate, review and revoke the business permits of forests and lands use that violate and contradict the regulations and customary laws,” said Rumbekwan.

Maratha Resolution

Environmental organisations in Papua have just completed their meeting in the Forum of Policy Dialogue and the Conference of Papua Customary Community held on 7 – 8 December in Susteran Maranatha, Jayapura City.

The meeting has set a resolution to address human rights violations and environmental crimes in Papua.

The resolution urged the government to thoroughly solving the human rights violations and humanitarian issues in Papua through a transparent legal process and provide justice to the victims and their families.

The government must take immediate action to restore and rehabilitate the rights of victims and their families.

The government must immediately recognize, protect and respect the existence of indigenous Papuans and the rights of indigenous people, the right towards lands and forests, the right of freedom of expression, the right of customary institution and the right of freedom of organisation, the right of development, the rights of customary laws and customary court.

The recognition, respect and protection of rights are effective methods to prevent human rights violations, environmental crimes and deforestation.

Meanwhile, Franky Samperante from Yayasan Papua said that the rights of indigenous Papuans to determine the development and take a decision on the land use by the outsiders have included in the Papuan Autonomy Law and derivative regulations.

However, the government has not fully acknowledged, protect and respect it. “The government takes the interest of capital owners on behalf of the economic development as a priority. It also failed to monitor and conduct law enforcement towards the company who violate and commit environmental crimes and commit violence against the community,” said Samperante. (*)

The funeral of Nduga residents who suspected killed by Indonesian military attack – Jubi/Ist

Jayapura, Jubi – The president of Papua Baptism Churches Dr Socrates Sofyan Yoman said the Indonesian Government’s reaction on the murder of 16 people in Nduga Regency on 2 December is truly explicit and unfair.

However, the Indonesian Military and Police shouldn’t take this as a reason to conduct a military operation in Nduga because it would only cause more causality among innocent people, he said.

Currently, the military operation has been carrying out and already took many lives of civilians. However, the reaction over this killing is a paradox. Papuan people should question the policy of the Indonesian Government.

“Are there shouts and curses (from Indonesian Government) when their military and police massacred hundreds or even thousands of West Papuans for 54 years? Where is the justice? Where is the humanity?” asked Yoman.

Moreover, he said without justice and through the incident that killed 16 people in Nduga, the Indonesian Government has established their image before the eyes of the nation of West Papua, Indonesia and the international community that Indonesia is an imperialist who conquered and colonialized West Papua.

Meanwhile, Dominikus Surabut, the Chief of Papua Customary Council, said the Indonesian Government would never solve the problems in Papua through the task forces.

“Indonesia must sit together with the Free Papua Movement,” he affirmed.

According to him, both sides must take this conciliation seriously and have a mutual commitment to solving the problems in Papua.

Without conciliation, the violence will repeat. Therefore, Yoman appealed the West Papuans to fight for their primary rights peacefully. They no need to be provoked by the provocative actions of the Indonesian Government.

“In responding the state’s violence, I asked the West Papuans to keep fighting for their rights in peaceful, humane and dignified ways,” said Yoman. (*)

A group of women gathered around Sanggeng traditional market or precisely behind a bank office in Manokwari act differently. Faces covered by light blush on and lipstick, they are waiting for visitors.

Acting like sex workers, they offer sex for visitors but secretly and give on-location service only. These convert sex workers are not only migrants but native Papuan women as well. It’s more than ten indigenous women who work as sex workers there.

The fact is their rate is not very expensive. A customer can only spend two hundred thousand rupiahs for their service, while their safety is guaranteed because there are a group of men work as guards.

“There’s quite a lot of visitors. They come almost every day, from the morning till night,” a woman said.

She admitted that she has to work like this because she has no choice. She do it for her living.

Even though she didn’t tell about her house and family’s background, her situation has illustrated the terrifying condition behind the privileges of many programs offered by regional government offices of West Papua Province, especially for Papuan women.

A woman figure in West Papua Province Yuliana Numberi said that this group of women is a victim of social life.

“They have a right to live and to be empowered like other Papuan women who get attention from the government through the regional government programs on Tuesday (11/12/2018).

According to her, the practice of covert prostitute in this location is not a new issue. It has been occurring for a long time. However, there is no humanitarian approach taken by those who have concern for them.

“This group of women is those who neglected. We must see this as an issue that can be improved through a program and our mutual concern because they are doing it to meet their daily needs,” she said.

Moreover, the government, said Numberi, should not only pay attention to Papuan women who sell betel nuts, vegetables and fruits in the traditional market or on the roadside, but they must also help and treat sex workers in the same manner.

“It’s terrifying because they have the same right to live like women. So, I hope in the future the government through gendered perspective development policies can involve all women without determining their status, position, religion and race. The government should empower all women and make them a subject in their lives,” she said.

If viewed from a gender perspective, sex workers are the victims of the community’s social life.

“Unfortunately, we do not know when they have a problem with their reproductive health and healthy life, especially regarding the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases that risk their health,” she explained.

On the other hand, she continued, if they don’t work like this, who will support their life. Due to their background, she also hopes that the community will not exclude them from society, instead to embrace them to find out why they do this job.

“We maybe don’t know if they have children who need expenses, or their husbands are jobless, or actually, they are the victims of their household needs. Therefore, we must look forward to ensuring that everyone can access the empowerment program which means there are participation, controls and benefits that we can provide in empowering a woman in the community,” Numberi said. (*)